幂
Character Story & Explanation
幂 is rarely used outside mathematics in modern Chinese. It appears consistently in national education standards (e.g., China’s Compulsory Education Mathematics Curriculum Standards), textbooks like People’s Education Press’s Grade 7 Math, and Gaokao (college entrance exam) questions involving exponential notation. You’ll find it in phrases like ‘平方幂’ (square power) or ‘幂函数’ (power function), but never in idioms or classical literature — it’s a modern technical loan character adopted in the early 20th century during scientific terminology standardization.
The character is not ancient: it does not appear in oracle bone or bronze inscriptions. Its form combines 冖 (cover) + 巾 (cloth), likely chosen phonetically and semantically to evoke 'covering' or 'layering' — fitting for exponents that 'layer' over bases. Today, Chinese students write it when solving algebra problems, not in diaries or WeChat messages.
Hi students! The character 幂 (mì) is a specialized term used almost exclusively in mathematics — it means 'power' or 'exponent', as in 2³ (2 to the power of 3). Unlike common characters you’ll see in daily conversation, 幂 appears mainly in textbooks, exams, and technical contexts. Its pronunciation mì is straightforward, but remember it’s a fourth-tone word — sharp and falling, like saying 'meet' with urgency.
This character belongs to the 冖 (mì) radical — the 'cover' radical — which often hints at covering, concealing, or enveloping. In 幂, this reflects the idea of a base number being 'covered' or 'raised' by an exponent — a conceptual layer over the base. Though it looks complex with 12 strokes, its structure is logical: top cover (冖), middle component (巾, meaning 'cloth', suggesting a draped veil), and bottom support (and stroke extensions).
Don’t confuse 幂 with more frequent homophones like 秘 (mì, 'secret') or 密 (mì, 'dense; confidential'). 幂 has no everyday colloquial use — you won’t hear it ordering food or greeting friends. It’s a quiet, precise tool for math lovers and STEM learners. Mastering it signals your move into advanced academic Chinese — especially important if you plan to study engineering, physics, or computer science in China.
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
Your First Step into Chinese Culture: Get a Chinese Name
Every journey into Chinese begins with a name. Use our free Chinese name generator to create a meaningful, personalized Chinese name that fits you perfectly.
Get My Chinese Name →